


Burned Sugar

by hedgerowhag



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, And Hux’s absolute lack of sympathy, Established Relationship, Featuring: kylo’s crispy sunburned ass, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 05:37:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16968663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hedgerowhag/pseuds/hedgerowhag
Summary: Kylo doesn’t look up when he walks past Hux, slapping him on the shoulder instead of trying to rip off Hux’s lips with his teeth in his typical I-Missed-You manner.





	Burned Sugar

**Author's Note:**

> Thank u ydnsm (aka bee cluster) for the idea :*
> 
> Just a general note:
> 
> Guys I’m not gonna be v activate here w writing for a long time. I’m very busy w school rn bc I’m a moron and im doing a masters full time. I haven’t lost interest in the fandom and y’all can always get hold of me on [Tumblr](St-hedge.tumblr.com) or [twitter](Twitter.com/st_hedge). I’m always there to talk and post sketches so I’m not gone

The day finally decides between seasons as the temperature drops toward minus two Celsius. It’s not warmer inside the airport, even with the crowds waiting for the delayed flights to land.

Hux has been waiting for fifty-six minutes. He has paced the length of the parked taxis, crossed the strip of tarmac, circled the indoor parking lot, bought coffee, checked the arrivals board and compared it to the live flight tracker. Kylo hadn’t given him anything besides the number of his flight from Dominican Republic before checking out from the hotel.

A wind gust pushes under the overhang above the doors, forcing a mismatched crowd to stumble and laugh as they try to take control of their luggage carts. The taxis pull by with flaring headlights as people string between them, shouting to each other over the bleats of the horns. A shuttle bus pushes through with wild eyed passengers hanging from the hand railing.

Hux had tried to accommodate for the work he knew he will miss by dividing what he could between interns before returning home and spending the hours before Kylo’s arrival skimming tomorrow’s schedule. He could be replying and bookmarking more emails, if he had somewhere to stand or sit without being curbed by a luggage cart.

There is a buzz under Hux’s palm. He clicks on his phone and watches the message blink.

‘Landed’

It’s another twenty minutes before a flood pushes onto the escalator. It divides between the people waiting on the ground floor. Children squeal, luggage handles squeak, someone is shouting a name.

Hux holds the collar of his coat closed as he looks over the heads. The parting in the shifting crowd signals for Kylo. His dark head is low as he charges for the doors, his single duffle bag swinging behind him.

He doesn’t look up when he walks past Hux, slapping him on the shoulder instead of trying to rip off Hux’s lips with his teeth in his typical I-Missed-You manner. He almost makes it to the taxis before Hux snaps his fingers and calls him back.

There is a dry smell on Kylo’s skin and clothes. It’s sickly and too warm. The wind pushes open Kylo’s jacket and the half unzipped hoodie shows that he wearing nothing underneath. When Hux steps closer, he first notices that Kylo’s mouth is clamped, his unfocused eyes, and then the red swollen tone to his skin.

Kylo sniffs and brushes his nose with the cuff of his coat. The skin is red and peeling in patches. Hux watches Kylo swipe at it with his nail.

A shrill pinprick of laughter passes through Hux and presses against his teeth. He covers his mouth with his fist, biting on his lip, and then his glove. He knows he will see the pictures later of Kylo’s sunburn progression once Rey unloads the equivalent of a family photo album onto Instagram and sends links en masse.

Hux can see that under his hoodie, he is bright scarlet with thin white flakes rubbing off onto his clothes. Kylo’s skin is inflamed and he looks fucking miserable, lips twisted into a dour frown and forehead bunched as he stares at the sidewalk. Hux can tell Kylo hadn’t even brushed his hair and the smell of sweat is either the travel or the fact that mild water would burn him.

Kylo breathes in and Hux wheezing into the collar of his coat. He is watching from behind his tears as Kylo becomes redder and redder. He would be scared that the man is about to catch fire if he could think over his laughter.

Hux almost misses it when Kylo charges off to the taxis. Even if he had the chance to apologise, he wouldn’t.

Kylo’s duffle bag is a divide between them on the backseat of the taxi that Kylo had snagged from a gaggle of hungover teenage girls that were too tired to be verbal. Hux is biting on his lips, watching Kylo sit rigid when the car moves down the strip of road like he is trying to avoid any unnecessary contact with the seat. Kylo’s breathing wheezes when the car speeds up, taking a corner that presses him against the door. Hux watches Kylo’s heels dig into the floor as he takes a deep steadying breath that passes out through his teeth.

For Kylo, it had always been a routine to test Hux’s boundaries in public. Especially in cars. He would would slam himself against Hux whenever the car turned and stayed there, to make it easier when his hand would go under Hux’s coat and potentially shirt, to make him bite on his tongue when the cold fingertips made their bastard presence known.

Distracted by the task of not moving, Kylo is not aware of when Hux reaches across the divide of the duffle bag and pushes aside the hem of Kylo’s coat. His hands are still cold from waiting in the wind and the effect is instant when his skin touches Kylo’s fever red flank.

Kylo spasms and jerks away from the backrest. He sucks in air into his convulsing chest and shakes like a dog, elbowing the seat when his mouth twists to stop a curse Hux can hear rolling at the back of his throat.

Kylo shrinks back when the driver calls out, “What’s the car done to you?”

Hux stares at the him in the rear view mirror and jerks a smile. “Bad flight,” he says, hoping that Kylo can keep it together.

In the orange light passing through the car Hux watches Kylo sit rod straight. His head is thrown forward, jaw twitching when the car passes over the cracks in the road. Hux knows he will enjoy pinching at the red patches of skin on softest parts of his arms and legs when they are home – in bed, but he can’t take anymore cringing every time Kylo shifts on the coarse upholstery of the car seat. His thighs must be rubbed raw on the denim of his jeans from sitting on the plane for hours, skin completely red and still peeling.

Hux leans toward the driver. Kylo’s throat clicks when he tips up his head to watch Hux speak.

It’s another minute before the taxi pulls out of the traffic and moors to the curb. Kylo is still while Hux pays the driver and doesn’t move when Hux gets out onto the sidewalk.

“I am not taking your bag for you,” Hux says into the car from the street as the wind pushes on his back. “Get out.”

Kylo drops out of the car like a dog that is barely dragging itself to follow the tug of the leash. His legs are stiff as he limps after Hux, barely avoiding other pedestrians. Hux walks ahead, taking a head count at intervals.

There is still a pharmacy open, dragging through its last hours with customers glimpsing between the aisles. Hux holds the door open as Kylo drags himself through, scraping the side of his duffle bag across Hux’s chest.

The door thump in place with a rubbery slap behind Hux. He watches Kylo takes two more steps into the store, stop, and sag under his own shoulders. He can imagine that he has closed his eyes and trying to breathe, but his clothes keep scratching on his skin.

Hux ignores him and walks between the aisles, feeling an oddly light mood that he decides won’t be ruined by Kylo. He takes two packets of ibuprofen to be safe and starts prodding the tubes of lotion when he hears the shuffling of Kylo’s shoes on the linoleum floor.

It must be the store lights, notorious for making things seem out of proportion, washing out some colours and make others violent. But Hux doubts the red on Kylo’s face is a fluke. He looks swollen, like he is puffy with sleep, even his eyelids seem to be drooping. The look on his face is so pathetic, it’s hard to take it seriously.

Hux is laughing before he realises where the sound is coming from. He bites on his tongue and snorts when he holds his breath. Kylo is looking up at the ceiling, his eyes are watering. Hux can’t help it when he chokes and laughs harder.

There must be people looking at them, when Hux leans forward to brace his forehead on the shelf as he wheezes. He hadn’t laughed this much in years; it must be something about the smugness finally being torn off Kylo’s face.

Hux is choking for a breath when Kylo’s shoes shuffle on the floor. He stares at the spot where he had stood, smiling behind his glove.

The forecast has promised the wind will get stronger during the night, but Hux feels warmer when he steps outside. The out of joint evening has him barely feeling exhausted and he wonders if he will be staying awake on his own tonight.

He expects that Kylo has already left in a taxi, not standing on the step of the pharmacy with his hands in his pockets, staring dead ahead at the road. Hux shoulders around him, stepping onto the sidewalk. Kylo doesn’t meet his eyes.

Hux takes the bottle of water out of the plastic bag hanging on his wrist and cracks seal. He lifts it toward Kylo, but he doesn’t take it.

It’s obvious how hard Kylo is trying not to blink when the pills snap out of the foil. Hux shoves them through Kylo’s fist into his palm.

It takes some sniffling and a glare that sticks to the road behind Hux for Kylo to swallow the pills. Hux hisses through his teeth when Kylo refuses the water and swallows the pills dry.

Hux twists his mouth while screwing on the cap. He almost trips back when Kylo’s head falls forward onto his shoulder. It’s instinct that makes Hux put a hand on Kylo’s neck and squeezes. He feels the heat of his skin through the fabric of his coat and the glove on his hand while listening to the swallows clicking through Kylo’s throat.

Hux watches the traffic pass on the road through Kylo’s hair and kisses the edge of his ear.

 

 

 

 


End file.
